Indigo Tajikistan (Tcell), a leading player in Tajikistan’s fast-growing telecom sector, has made a long-term commitment to extending its reach and offering new services. Tcell now has more than 2.5 million subscribers and provides mobile, voice and data coverage to 97% of the populated areas of Tajikistan.
CEO Mansur Khamidov says, “Tcell provides 2G and 3G services and has the largest geographical coverage in Tajikistan, and we continue to expand our network in the future. We are not only a business-oriented, but also a social-oriented company which has been the biggest taxpayer in Tajikistan for the past three years, proof of our commitment to transparency.” Major European shareholders of the company are: Sweden-based TeliaSonera, with a 60% share, and the France-based Aga Khan Foundation for Economic Development (AKFED).
Tcell, known for innovation and quality of services, was Tajikistan’s first GSM operator and the first telecom company in Central Asia to employ solar power instead of generators in its network. Tcell has often partnered with international organisations and the government, including in a project with USAID and the Ministry of Education to bring long-distance education opportunities to isolated villages around the country. Mansur Khamidov says, “We were chosen for this key project because of our quality and European standards.”
Ambitious growth plans
Tcell has ambitious growth plans. “We already have the best transmission system in the northern part of the country and now we are working on the southern and western parts of Tajikistan. We have our own transmission network, but we are open to working with other companies,” Mansur Khamidov points out.
To ensure the highest-quality human resources, Tcell has developed training programmes with the support of TeliaSonera and regularly partners with local universities, including Khujand State University and Tajik Technological University, in projects to give students practical experience. Tcell also plans to launch its own in-house training centre.
Mansur Khamidov foresees strong growth for Tcell and for Tajikistan’s telecom sector. He says, “Because of infrastructure inadequacies, good Internet connections are only available in big cities, so this needs to be improved. We also see huge potential in voice communications, new services, content creation, mobile payment systems, e-services and more. Once we have fully developed our infrastructure, we will be able to further enhance and expand our cooperation regarding e-services, for example with energy companies and banks.”
International investors should take a close look at Tajikistan, Mansur Khamidov believes. He says, “Tajikistan has huge potential, and all public institutions here are working hard to make Tajikistan’s legislation compliant with international standards.”
Mirzo Tursunzade Str. 23,
734025 Dushanbe
Tel: +992 37 223 2121
[email protected]
www.tcell.tj
